Fear To Flex

unclestu

unclestu

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Feed back please


Hi everyone. I got my first AG order about a month ago. I am new to detailing and have not used the new Flex 3401 yet as both of my cars are new 2009's and didn't need any paint correction. Yesterday though I did notice after topping the 2 coats of wdgps3.0 with a coat of Fuzion that there where a few minor swirls on the hood of the Porsche...eeek. It is so upsetting as I was so meticulous through every step of the detailing. You can only see them if the light hits them in a certain way but just the fact of knowing that they are there troubles me. Now that the moment of Truth has arrived and there is a need for some paint correction the fear of inexperience is setting in. After reading many posts about the awesome power of the flex I feel a little intimidated by the red beast. I have some experience with power tools. Am I over reacting? I have a bottle of Menz. 85rd as the swirls are of a very minor nature and there are not that many of them would it be advisable to use the 85rd as a single step polish followed by an ipa wipe down and than reapply the wdgps and Fuzion? Or do I need to start off the polishing with a more aggressive polish and than go to the 85rd? My thought was to start the polishing with the 85rd and a white LC smart pad. Obviously there is nothing to be lost in practicing with the Flex on an old body panel but for this minor correction do you feel that it is really necessary as I would first have to acquire a practice body panel. Also can a glaze be applied over the Fuzion to hide the swirls until I am ready to polish them out?
 
I'll soon be a newbie too, with a whole set of nice "Paint Correction Toys... and when it comes to the "first time", I'll be a little nervous too.

Did you get your little scratches while applying your Paint Sealant ?
 
Don't worry it's simple. As long as you don't let it sit there in one spot for 5 min, your good. As with any tool, be smart.
 
I have used my Flex 3401 successfully with PO85RD, topped with RMG and Souveran. No swirls, good depth and shine. PO85RD is a final polish without much cutting. Important to use a finishing or finessing pad, a 12, 11 or 10 rather than a more aggressive pad.
 
2003 GMC Denali said:
I'll soon be a newbie too, with a whole set of nice "Paint Correction Toys... and when it comes to the "first time", I'll be a little nervous too.

Did you get your little scratches while applying your Paint Sealant ?
Click to expand...
Hi and thanks for the reply, no I don't think that I got them from the application of the paint sealant as the car was pristine up until yesterday when I applied the Fuzion. They were either wash induced or perhaps there might have been a particle of dust or grit that was missed by the microfiber duster that I used before I QD'd the car prior to the application of the Fuzion.
Good luck on your first time.
 
Use a white pad with 85rd and finish down with a blue pad.
 
You can read and read until the cows come home but eventually you and only you can learn by actually doing it. If you are nervous about starting out on a high end vehicle ,then volunteer to try your new flex on a friend or relatives car. If there are no willing takers then head down to the local body shops and pick up a discarded unrepairable hood or panel.As wether or not your hood needs additional work , experience is a great teacher and with that knowledge you will eventually be able to diagnose at a glance what is needed to correct the paint to your satisfaction.
Just an old mans 2cents.

Paul S
 
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KC-BBQ said:
I have used my Flex 3401 successfully with PO85RD, topped with RMG and Souveran. No swirls, good depth and shine. PO85RD is a final polish without much cutting. Important to use a finishing or finessing pad, a 12, 11 or 10 rather than a more aggressive pad.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks for the reply and I can taste that BBQ inyou avitar that looks like some goooood eats!!!
I have some questions pertaining to your reply:
1) What is RMG?)
2 All have all the different color pads from LC. I have blue, gray, red, white and orange. What are 12,11,and 10 pads? I thought that pads were color coded.

Thanks again and enjoy that BBQ
 
2old2change said:
You can read and read until the cows come home but eventually you and only you can learn by actually doing it. If you are nervous about starting out on a high end vehicle ,then volunteer to try your new flex on a friend or relatives car. If there are no willing takers then head down to the local body shops and pick up a discarded unrepairable hood or panel.As wether or not your hood needs additional work , experience is a great teacher and with that knowledge you will eventually be able to diagnose at a glance what is needed to correct the paint to your satisfaction.
Just an old mans 2cents.

Paul S
Click to expand...

Hi Paul and thanks for your reply. As far as I am concerned an old mans 2 cents is far more valuable than a young mans C note any time. Have you any more pocket change that you can spare I would love to pick your brain. Please share some tricks of the trade that you might have acquired over your many years of experience.

Thanks in advance
Stu
 
Rsurfer said:
Use a white pad with 85rd and finish down with a blue pad.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, that seemed to be what I had in mind and I am glad that you confirmed it for me. As far as my using the Flex for the first time do you think that I am over reacting?
 
Mmmm... a Body Shop.

That's actually a great idea !

My Next-door Neighbor works at a Ford Dealership that has an Auto-Body department right next door.

I might ask him to bring home a "Fender" or a "Hood".
 
Since you have some very nice vehicles, I would not try using the Flex until you are use to a PC, if that is what you have. Once you are use to the PC, then you can switch over to a Flex. I had worries myself, however, it was not going from a PC to a Flex. I just needed to make sure the Flex was able to lock in a speed with out holding the trigure. fyi - The main finger on my right hand is busted, so, I needed to make sure I could lock in a speed.

The Flex is WAY BETTER than the PC, in my opinion. Once I made the switch, I quite using the PC on vehicles. I only use the PC for carpets and/or seats.

My $.02

Stephen
 
I used my new Flex for the first time this weekend and wasn't blown away with the results. I just sold my PC and made the upgrade since I am slowly getting into the mobile detailing business. What are the biggest advantages of the Flex over the PC? The Flex was a good bit heavier and wore on my back after a full polish/wax detail of a full-sized truck. Any tips on how to save my back? I still noticed a decent number of swirl marks (did cut them down significantly), but for a $280 polisher I guess I was expecting near miracles.
 
Lilskeezer said:
I used my new Flex for the first time this weekend and wasn't blown away with the results. I just sold my PC and made the upgrade since I am slowly getting into the mobile detailing business. What are the biggest advantages of the Flex over the PC? The Flex was a good bit heavier and wore on my back after a full polish/wax detail of a full-sized truck. Any tips on how to save my back? I still noticed a decent number of swirl marks (did cut them down significantly), but for a $280 polisher I guess I was expecting near miracles.
Click to expand...
You need to work harder, if there were swrils left. I have back problems too and wear a back brace when detaliling, especially the lower panels.
 
Lilskeezer said:
I used my new Flex for the first time this weekend and wasn't blown away with the results. I just sold my PC and made the upgrade since I am slowly getting into the mobile detailing business. What are the biggest advantages of the Flex over the PC? The Flex was a good bit heavier and wore on my back after a full polish/wax detail of a full-sized truck. Any tips on how to save my back? I still noticed a decent number of swirl marks (did cut them down significantly), but for a $280 polisher I guess I was expecting near miracles.
Click to expand...

You just need some more practice and time to learn technique with it. I bet the first time using a PC, you didn't get the results you can now using it. I know myself that I get ALOT more done per pass with a PC than I did when I first got it :)
 
Rsurfer said:
Use a white pad with 85rd and finish down with a blue pad.
Click to expand...
I have to agree with you Rsurfer, a white pad followed by a blue does seem to be the way to go as far as I feel also. Isn't the rule of thumb always start with the least agressive method and upgrade if needed. It's always worked for me.
 
unclestu said:
Hey thanks for the reply and I can taste that BBQ inyou avitar that looks like some goooood eats!!!
I have some questions pertaining to your reply:
1) What is RMG?)
2 All have all the different color pads from LC. I have blue, gray, red, white and orange. What are 12,11,and 10 pads? I thought that pads were color coded.

Thanks again and enjoy that BBQ
Click to expand...

That BBQ---when it's a good cut of meat, it's hog heaven! And it usually is a good cut of meat.

1) RMG is ClearKote's Red Moose Glaze.
2) Based on Lake Country's specifications as shown on their own website. I've provided two links below which I have found useful. Best of luck!

http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/applicationguide/lakecountry-pad-application-guide.pdf

D.A. Foam Pads - Specifications | Lake Country Manufacturing
 
killrflake said:
I have to agree with you Rsurfer, a white pad followed by a blue does seem to be the way to go as far as I feel also. Isn't the rule of thumb always start with the least agressive method and upgrade if needed. It's always worked for me.
Click to expand...

Feed back please
Wait! White pad followed by the blue pad is know as finishing down, correct? But, you later say that the rule of thumb is to start with least aggressive which is the blue or red and upgrading if needed to white, so which is it? This really confuses people.Feed back please


When wet sanding you should use the lowest grit which creates more scratch and allow you to knock out the rough areas and then finish down to the highest grit which has less scratch and help smooth the surface. The same should apply for paint correction (orange pad with M105,white pad 205, red or blue with Menz 85rd or 3M Ultrafina) This is finishing down in my opinion. I have a hard time understanding the method of using the least aggressive and working up to the most aggressive
 
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